Pages

Feb 1, 2011

Biting Into the Big Apple – Best of NYC Restaurants

Tao – “Buddha-licious”

Remember that scene in the movie Hitch when Eva Mendes goes to a speed-dating event with her permanently single friend and Will Smith traipses in past an enormous Buddha, hoping to redeem his honor whilst declaring his love for Eva? Did you think while watching: “wow, too bad Hitch stormed out of there because I bet the food is really great…?” Well we did. Made famous not only because of its cameo in the romantic comedy, but because of its frequent celebrity patrons, Tao is a definite New York must.

The food isn’t mind-blowing but the experience certainly makes it worth a visit. Be prepared to wait for a table for over an hour (even with reservations). In the meantime, head over to the bar and lounge area, which is cleverly separated from the main dining area by a floor-to-ceiling glass wall. The crowd is an interesting mix of young professionals, couples, tourists, and unsuspecting families with kids. This place is about seeing and being seen. As you sip your cocktail, waiting anxiously for the buzzer in your hand to ring (and which probably never will), you can sit on the slick leather seats and do some serious people watching. We counted some NBA players, and a few models in the hour we waited. So word to the wise, do not come here hungry unless you are prepared to slip the hostess a twenty.

Once you rejoice in the victory of scoring a table and have finally sat down, take in the room. This is trendy New-York dining at its finest and unlike any restaurant you’ll find in Montreal. The service is impeccable and surprisingly friendly for such a swanky place. Our waiter gave us a few suggestions and wasn’t pushy on anything and we ended up having some very unique and delicious dishes.

It was difficult to choose a single entrée from the assortment on the menu (others included a mouth-watering beef tartar tempura and lobster dumplings). The tuna tartar was a departure from the traditional texture one normally sees with this appetizer. This one was more of a purée version, delicately seasoned and placed on warm crispy rice with a soft interior –definitely a highlight of the meal and a great way to warm up the palate. It’s a good idea to balance out a meat with a fish at Tao because both are done exquisitely. The swordfish was perfectly cooked and moist, and paired quite nicely with the sweet chili sauce. The asparagus tempura was an interesting side and complemented the flavors of the fish beautifully. The kung-pao chicken was delicious – not overly spicy or sweet – and that means a lot coming from someone who is not the biggest fan of Chinese food. The portions are quite large and the sharing concept is true to its Asian inspiration.

We often tend to judge a restaurant by its dessert. A bad dessert has the potential to ruin what would otherwise be a spectacular meal. This was not the case at Tao. The banana pudding is like a tropical-Thai twist on the Italian tiramisu. Layers of banana and fortune cookie crumbs with flavored custard in between were an immaculate and inspired way to end the meal. We paired this with a lovely lavender tea infusion which helped lighten the heaviness of the pudding.

All in all, an excellent meal without being too pretentious or avant-garde, and offering some great twists to the classics. Reserve early, and expect to pay about fifty bucks a head for a decent sized meal. If you are seated at the bench area and you’re short, opt for the chair or you will feel like a child in need of a booster seat during your meal. If you’re a tourist, leave the kids at home and DO NOT come dressed in your sightseeing attire of mom-jeans and sneakers.

Fun fact: it’s been reported that on occasion, the wait staff has to pull down people trying to climb the 20 ft. tall Buddha.